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Resume Interests

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 8:31 pm
by Anonymous User
Anyone's thoughts for putting Video Games on resume...

Re: Resume Interests

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 8:47 pm
by Nebby
Remove the interests section from your resume. Problem solved.

Re: Resume Interests

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 8:55 pm
by bananasplit19
CounselorNebby wrote:Remove the interests section from your resume. Problem solved.
Is this credited? At least for OCI, I've been uniformly told that the interests section is a great way to make yourself memorable to the interviewer since it gives you something to talk about that isn't the 30th mind-numbing judicial externship spiel the interviewer has to listen to that day. For example, a 2L swore that her "fantasy football" mention under interests was more useful than anything else on her resume after the GPA.

Re: Resume Interests

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 8:58 pm
by ymmv
bananasplit19 wrote:
CounselorNebby wrote:Remove the interests section from your resume. Problem solved.
Is this credited? At least for OCI, I've been uniformly told that the interests section is a great way to make yourself memorable to the interviewer since it gives you something to talk about that isn't the 30th mind-numbing judicial externship spiel the interviewer has to listen to that day. For example, a 2L swore that her "fantasy football" mention under interests was more useful than anything else on her resume after the GPA.
Ignore Nebby. He is chock full of stupid advice today.

Re: Resume Interests

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 8:58 pm
by ph14
bananasplit19 wrote:
CounselorNebby wrote:Remove the interests section from your resume. Problem solved.
Is this credited? At least for OCI, I've been uniformly told that the interests section is a great way to make yourself memorable to the interviewer since it gives you something to talk about that isn't the 30th mind-numbing judicial externship spiel the interviewer has to listen to that day. For example, a 2L swore that her "fantasy football" mention under interests was more useful than anything else on her resume after the GPA.
The advice is not credited. Interests are definitely something that you should have on your resume for OCI. A lot of OCI conversations will be sparked due to your interests section. To OP: I don't know the answer to your question, but I would probably leave it off my interests section.

Re: Resume Interests

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:00 pm
by sublime
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Re: Resume Interests

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:00 pm
by ph14
sublime wrote:Goddamn it. I removed mine but it sounds like I should put it back on.

How do you balance the weird/interesting?
How weird/interesting are we talking?

Re: Resume Interests

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:10 pm
by bananasplit19
ymmv wrote:
bananasplit19 wrote:
CounselorNebby wrote:Remove the interests section from your resume. Problem solved.
Is this credited? At least for OCI, I've been uniformly told that the interests section is a great way to make yourself memorable to the interviewer since it gives you something to talk about that isn't the 30th mind-numbing judicial externship spiel the interviewer has to listen to that day. For example, a 2L swore that her "fantasy football" mention under interests was more useful than anything else on her resume after the GPA.
Ignore Nebby. He is chock full of stupid advice today.
Fair enough. OP, I think it's risky. Maybe if you're aiming for a tech-heavy firm, there might be a higher possibility of the interviewer also being a gamer or, more likely, intrigued by the concept of competitive/pro gaming. On the other hand, there's still a stigma, rightly or wrongly, of the forever-alone gamer playing in his mom's basement, and I'd want to avoid being accidentally associated with that if that's what the interviewer thinks gaming is.

Re: Resume Interests

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:13 pm
by sublime
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Re: Resume Interests

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:15 pm
by NYSprague
sublime wrote:
ph14 wrote:
sublime wrote:Goddamn it. I removed mine but it sounds like I should put it back on.

How do you balance the weird/interesting?
How weird/interesting are we talking?

Nothing terrible. But everything that comes to mind is boring (sports, reading), not something I want to put on a resume (gaming, drinking), or just kinda weird (I think fountain pens and double edge shaving is kinda cool).

The more interesting stuff I like such as critical race theory or independent hip hop or even liberal politics doesn't seem like it should go on a resume for biglaw.
Don't put gaming. Put music and something else. You don't have to say hip hop. Most people have generic stuff.

Re: Resume Interests

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:17 pm
by NYSprague
Anonymous User wrote:Anyone's thoughts for putting Video Games on resume...
I don't know. Everyone plays video games but most people see them as time wasters
Is there anything else you can put instead?

Re: Resume Interests

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:17 pm
by sublime
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Re: Resume Interests

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:18 pm
by ymmv
sublime wrote:
ph14 wrote:
sublime wrote:Goddamn it. I removed mine but it sounds like I should put it back on.

How do you balance the weird/interesting?
How weird/interesting are we talking?

Nothing terrible. But everything that comes to mind is boring (sports, reading), not something I want to put on a resume (gaming, drinking), or just kinda weird (I think fountain pens and double edge shaving is kinda cool).

The more interesting stuff I like such as critical race theory or independent hip hop or even liberal politics doesn't seem like it should go on a resume for biglaw.

Independent hip hop is good and even if people aren't interested they will think they should be. Could spark some quality conversation.

Re: Resume Interests

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:21 pm
by sublime
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Re: Resume Interests

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:21 pm
by dixiecupdrinking
Put interests. I hate it and think it seems tacky and amateur but it does help.

Rule of thumb is be specific. "Reading" is boring. "Reading political biographies" or whatever is better. "Sports" is boring. "Lifelong Jacksonville Jaguars fan" is better. (But put something ore believable.)

It's a conversation starter. You're missing the point if you list something that you can't imagine someone asking you about. "So, you like reading?" is a question no one will ask.

ETA: to the guy who mentioned fountain pens and double-edged shaving (whatever that is) - I would go down that path as long as you actually have something to say about it. They're a little weird so you have to be confident and sociable to pull it off, but it's stuff like that that will make people take an interest. Remember, the idea is to engage someone who has interviewed 15 other people today and help them remember you.

Re: Resume Interests

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:24 pm
by ymmv
dixiecupdrinking wrote:Put interests. I hate it and think it seems tacky and amateur but it does help.

Rule of thumb is be specific. "Reading" is boring. "Reading political biographies" or whatever is better. "Sports" is boring. "Lifelong Jacksonville Jaguars fan" is better. (But put something ore believable.)

It's a conversation starter. You're missing the point if you list something that you can't imagine someone asking you about. "So, you like reading?" is a question no one will ask.

ETA: to the guy who mentioned fountain pens and double-edged shaving (whatever that is) - I would go down that path as long as you actually have something to say about it. They're a little weird so you have to be confident and sociable to pull it off, but it's stuff like that that will make people take an interest. Remember, the idea is to engage someone who has interviewed 15 other people today and help them remember you.
This is credited.

Re: Resume Interests

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 10:59 am
by Nebby
Double-edged shaving is the CR.

I may put an interests section back on my resume just for that.

My undergrad was in African art, so I put my thesis on my resume. It is always a conversation starter. That's why I removed the interests section.